Lamar was born in Compton and attended Centennial High School in the city. In 1995, an eight-year-old Lamar witnessed his idols, Tupac Shakur and Dr. Dre, shooting the video for “California Love” in Compton, a moment that would inspire his rap career. He most recently served as the 63rd Grand Marshal of the Compton Christmas Parade last year.

“Kendrick Lamar is a phenomenal artist whose work has served as a catalyst to raise a new level of consciousness for this generation,” said Mayor Brown in a statement. “His message challenges the status quo and motivates listeners to rethink our society’s institutions. I believe Kendrick Lamar is not only an artist, but an influencer of an entire generation. He represents Compton with great pride and I am honored to present him with the Key to the City, which symbolizes our deep appreciation for his philanthropic work and commitment to our community.”

“Being from the city of Compton, and knowing the parks that I played at, and the neighborhoods, I always thought how great the opportunity would be to give back to my community off what I do in music,” Lamar told the legislature.

Last year, the “Alright” MC sat down with President Obama at the White House and discussed topics concerning inner cities and youth as part of Obama’s mentoring initiative, My Brother’s Keeper.

Two days after receiving the key to Compton, K-Dot will attend the Grammys. He leads this year’s awards with 11 nominations including Album of the Year and Song of the Year.